Process of and apparatus for aging liquors



I NITED STATES PATENT Orino HENRY GLASS, OF GOLOONDA, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 287,272, dated October' 23, 1883. Application filed February 5, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY GLASS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Golconda, in the county of Pope and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Process of and Apparatus for Aging Liquors, of which the following is a specification, reference bey ing had to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to an improved process for aging liquors and apparatus for carrying out the same, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The drawing hereto annexed represents in perspective the apparatus employed in my improved process of aging liquors. As is well known,the improvement in wines, whislries, and other liquors which are improved by long standing is due to the oxidizing agency of the atmospheric air. Under ordinarycircumstances the chemical changes thus induced take place very slowly, for the obvious reason that only few particles, comparatively, of the body of the liquor are exposed to the action of the air at any one time, and years are often required to perfect the process of aging or improvement.

My invention consists in reducing the liquors to be improved to a iine spray and exposing them while in this condition to the atmospheric air, which is thus enabled to act upon the minutely-divided particles, accomplishing in a short space of time the same purpose which it has heretofore taken years to accomplish.

In the drawing, A represents the barrel orY other vessel containing the liquor to be improved.

B is an ordinary suitably-constructed atomizer, the suction-pipe of which, C, extends down into the barrel or vessel A, while its blow-pipe D is connected, either directly or through an intermediate flexible hose, E,with an air-pump, F.

G is a shallow box placed vertically in front of the atomizer B, and covered with iine platina netting, platina sponge, or other material, H, having catalytic properties,the object of which is to receive the spray, recompose the particles, and convey the liquor to a gutter or trough, I, arranged at the bottom of box G, and which conducts it to a barrel or other receptacle, J. l'

The operation oi' this invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawing hereto annexed. By reducing the liquor, in the manner described, to an impalpable spray, it is exposed to the action not only of the air in the room orimmediate vicinity where the process takes place, but also that supplied by the airpump, which may be taken from the outside, and which is consequently fresh and pure and not deprived of any portion of its oxygen,thus driving out the carbonio acid that may be present and supplying the oxygen lost in fermentation or distillation, as the case may be,

rearranging the constituents of lthe fusel-oil and otherproducts of alcoholic fermentation, and producing the same changes and imparting `to the liquor the same character in all respects which under ordinary circumstances it would take years to accomplish.

I am aware that prior to my invention liquors have been exposed in atomized form to the action of air supplied by various means, for the purpose Aof aging and improving the liquors thus treated. This I do not claim.

vI claim as my invention and desire to secure `by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. The process of aging liquors, which ,con-

sists in reducing the same to a fine spray by means of an atomizer and directing the said spray upon a fine screen of platina or other material having catalytic properties, as set forth. A

2. The apparatus for aging liquors, which consists of the atomizer, air-pump, a shallow receiving-box having a screen or covering of platina netting or sponge, or other material having catalytic properties, and suitable vats or vessels, all arranged and operating as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in pres ence of two witnesses.

' HENRY GLASS. Witnesses: Y

EDWARD G. SIGGERs, EDMoND BRODHAG. 

